"Sup, Ana?" The infamous Dallas Winston walks into the house, slamming the door as he gets here. I shush him and point to the couch, where Pony's still asleep.

"Sorry," he says, quietly. I nod.

"So how's being back in Tulsa, man?" He asks me. I just shrug.

"It's different now, but I'm glad I'm here. I missed my brothers," I explain.

"What? You didn't miss me?" He exclaims, jokingly.

"Not at all, Winston," I respond, laughing.

"Anyways, any of the guys up yet?" I nod.

"Soda's at work already. Dar's got the day off, so he's still asleep," I tell him, then look at the clock. 10:30. Darry hates sleeping so late, but it's probably one of his only days off for a while. He nods, plopping down in Darry's arm chair.

"What're you doing tonight?" He asks.

"Nothing. Probably hanging with the guys. Why?" I ask him.

"Wanna go to a party at Buck's?" He suggests. I shrug. I've never been too close with Dallas, he's always just been a friend of my brothers, but why not. Maybe I'll meet someone....

"Sure. What time?" I ask him.

"8:00ish?" He responds. I nod.

"Sounds good." He cracks a smile.

"Think your brothers'll let you go, man?" He jokes.

"Probably not," I laugh. Honestly, it's true. I just got home and now I'm going out with someone else? Darry probably won't be happy. But who cares, I'm a grown woman...

"So why do you want me to go with you?" I question. He shrugs.

"Why not, man. I thought it might be something fun to do. See if Buck's party's live up to college frats," He suggests. I just laugh at that. Like I've been to any college parties lately. I'm more the type of person that stays up late studying from giant text books on nights where we don't even have tests coming up.

"Well, I'm gonna go hunt some action. I'll be back later to pick you up," he says. I nod, watching him walk out. The majority of the day, I spend with my brothers, talking and catching up, hugging and telling them how much I truly missed them.

At exactly 8 PM, Dallas, perfectly on time comes to pick me up. I'm wearing a simple t-shirt with a pair of jeans and tan boots, nothing fancy, but he still tells me I look nice, like I'm his date. Which I'm definitely not. 10 minutes after we get there I bet he'll have already made out with 3 girls, with at least another two waiting. That's just who he is.

"So, what are we doing tonight?" I ask him once we're in the car and driving, honestly being that inexperienced at parties.

"Just hangin' around," he explains. I nod.

"Sounds like fun... Think anyone here's still around from where I was in high school?" I ask him. He shrugs, pulling into

"Wouldn't surprise me. If they don't go off to college and make something of themselves, they're here forever," he says, quite grimly.

"So, what should I do?" I ask him, walking in.

"Go hang out, man. I've got stuff to do," he says with a laugh.

"What kind of stuff?" I interrogate. He winks at me, then walks away. I walk around for a bit, trying to find someone I know, or at least recognize, before parking myself down at the bar and ordering.

"Cherry Coke, please," I say. Buck, our bartender, laughs at me.

"What's so funny?" I ask.

"Don't drink, Curtis?" He retorts.

"Not the hard stuff, anyways," I answer. He nods, grabbing my drink and sliding it over to me.

"Thanks," I say, sipping it.

"Not a problem, babe," he responds. I glare at him, I mean, he called me "babe".

And then I look over to see Dally snogging some girl senseless. I almost gag. The girl looked to be having the time of her life, but Dally? No passion, no emotion at all. I just don't understand...

Five minutes later he's done and I'm sitting awkwardly at the bar drinking my soda and listening to Buck creepily flirt with me some more. Not knowing how to respond to it at all, I look to Dally, who's walking over to me.

"You ready to go, Ana?" He asks. I raise an eyebrow at how quick he was, but nod thankfully, thinking how I'm being saved.

"Night, Ana!" Buck yells. I laugh.

"God, Buck's known me forever, Dal. Why'd so excited to see me now?" I ask him. He looks me over.

"Guess you got hotter from the last time he saw you," he says. I roll my eyes.

"Thanks to hair straighteners and getting my braces taken off... God, has it really been that long since they've seen me?" I exclaim. He nods.

"Seems like that long since I've seen you, man." I think about this for a minute. The last time I saw him, everyone was a mess. Everything was a blur, I'd be surprised if anyone could still picture me like that. I've changed since then, although my braces were off, and had been for years. Before that... They probably were still on. I was probably still wearing coke bottle glasses and not caring what anyone though, including the guys. All that mattered was that I was accepted by my brothers and their friends. So, I was a total nerd.

"Wanna go for a little joy ride?" Dallas asks, right after he chugs a beer that was passed to him by Buck. Against my better judgment, I say yes, just as he walks back over to the bar, taking another beer, this time to go.

I instantly regret saying yes, flashing back to my parents death, who got hit by a drunk driver, and my anxiety level skyrockets.

"You give that girl your number?" I ask him, trying to make conversation, as well as calm my nerves.

"Nah. She wasn't worth it," he says as we get out to the car.

"Finding anyone who is?" I ask.

"Yeah, I just... I.... I dunno, man," he says, clearly annoyed with something. He rustles through his pocket looking for his car keys. I stand there, quietly watching him as he finally finds them and unlocks my door, gentlemanly opening it for me, too.

"So tell me about this majestic girl who may or may not be worth getting your number," I suggest once we're both in the car. He turns off the radio, shrugging, and saying, "There's not much to tell."

"Well, I think there is. Spill," I practically beg.

"Why didn't you adopt your brothers?" He changes the subject. His tone sends chills down my neck, it's almost accusing, but I still tell the truth with no hesitation.

"Darry and I talked about it. He didn't want me leaving college, he said they would be okay... Why? Is something going on that they're not telling me?" I ask him, suddenly worried.

"You just never visit," he responds.

"So? I have school," I tell him. He shrugs, and I can tell he wants me to say more, but he doesn't. He knows that I'll defend myself and my own mistakes as much as I can...

"So really, Dal. Tell me about this girl," I say. He pops the bottle cap off of his beer and takes a long sip.

"You've never been confused on your feelings, have you? Man, Ana, you're always so sure of everything. Your love life, your choices, everything..." He says, slurring his words as his alcohol gets to him.

Practically laughing at the irony I respond with, "You have no idea."

"I just... I dunno, man," He pauses, "It just feels different when I'm with him. Not like that girl I was makin' out with earlier. Different. I can't describe it, just..." And that's when I interrupt him with a long, high pitched scream. Not because of him, or the girl, but because as Dallas drove, he had started drifting into the other lane, where a pair of headlights are now flying towards us.

"Dallas!" I yell. Quickly, he turns the wheel and I watch the other car as it slides to the other side of the road.

"Thank god they're safe," I hear myself whisper, but suddenly I can't figure out where I am. Everything is upside down. I'm barely able to hold down the cherry Coke that I just drank, and I'm breathing as if I'm underwater.

"Um... Dally?" I whisper quietly, sweat and tears dripping down my face. I receive no response from my drunk friend.

A/N: Really bad cliffhanger but I had to do something to get your attention. So what'd you think of Dally's drunk babbling? Who do you think he's talking about?💭💬💭 -Katy